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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23360815">Ruthless love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HarukaLinsama/pseuds/HarukaLinsama'>HarukaLinsama</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrisiLtd/pseuds/KrisiLtd'>KrisiLtd</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>World Wrestling Entertainment</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Falling In Love, Organized Crime, Past Relationship(s), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Trauma, Smut, Yakuza</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:02:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,543</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23360815</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HarukaLinsama/pseuds/HarukaLinsama, https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrisiLtd/pseuds/KrisiLtd</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There is no place in his world for love or feelings. He is the man with the stone heart. It's all about money and power. To the point where the thirst for revenge takes him to the enemy's home. There he finds something that has been long thought lost ...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Becky Lynch | Rebecca Knox/Seth Rollins | Tyler Black, Charlotte/Roman Reigns</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The theft</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>My name is Colby Lopez, but people know me as Seth Rollins. One of the most powerful, rich, and ruthless men in the States. Under my control is part of the New York state gray market. I'm an arms dealer. I wasn't born a monster, I became one. Emotions make you weak. My passion in life is money. For me, everything and everyone has a price. I want my enemies to be afraid of me and my subordinates - in awe.<br/>
If someone asks me am I happy with what I am, my answer is always "Yes". And why shouldn't I? I have money, a huge mansion, and I can have any woman I want. Everyone is captivated by my charm. I don't blame them, I'm young, attractive, but most importantly, damn rich. No woman can love. The only thing they can offer me is sex. As I read in a book: "My friend, do not trust women. Leave them with a smile. Don't forget that the devil used a woman to drive Adam out of Paradise."<br/>
I run my business with the only person I trust, Joe, known to most as Roman. As we grew up together, we have struggled with life, have seen each other at the bottom and at the top. And here we are still together. Two boys from the slums of New York with dreams and a will to do anything to achieve them.<br/>
Creating different flavors is one of the few things I do with my heart.<br/>
My daily routine was disrupted. The moment I stepped into the lobby of Shield Corporation, I could feel the tension in the air. As I headed for the elevator, my staff, who were greeting me, also seemed to feel it. When I got to my office, I started going through my work emails and everything related to the Shield Corporation, the largest perfume company in New York state. This is the face of my business. When it comes to my illegal activities, I only trust men. I can't risk my life or the lives of my people by hiring women. In the "Shield Corporated" things are run differently. Women are also employed. Joe and I were talking about the new delivery when Trevor, a.k.a Ricochet, burst into the office. With just a glance, I knew something was wrong.<br/>
"What happened?", I asked impatiently, getting up from my chair.<br/>
“... Boss..... things went south...”<br/>
“Don't annoy me. Explain yourself. “<br/>
“The truck with the cargo was stolen, the driver's in the ER.“<br/>
"And the guards? Are they in the hospital, too?“<br/>
“Unfortunately, they were killed.” The grief in his voice was obvious. Two of our own were no more. There was a lump in my throat. These people have lost their lives because they were following my orders and I couldn't protect them. My rage grew by the second. Someone didn't just steal the goods, they also killed two of my people. My honor was at risk if I didn't find the attackers.<br/>
"In which hospital is Nick?"<br/>
“In “Saint John"."<br/>
"What are we waiting for? Let's go and find out what he has seen. I want to know who dared to attack mine!“<br/>
"Yes, sir!"<br/>
"Seth, let's take my car”, Joe spoke up for the first time since we heard the news. He tossed his keys to Trevor, "Go and get the car ready to go!“<br/>
After the door closed, Joe turned to me.<br/>
“Who do you think it could be?“<br/>
".... Jericho, no... Finn... Randy?", I said, trying to solve this puzzle .<br/>
The ride to the hospital was quiet. Joe and I prefer actions to words. And what I intend to do with the bastard who dared to go after mine will send a very clear message to all my enemies! </p><p>––––– </p><p>We've been in the waiting room for over a hour, waiting for the operation to end. Going over everything, trying to figure out where the gaps in our plan were. Everything was perfect one moment, and the next it went to hell. The door to the operating room opened.<br/>
"Are you related to Nicholas Nemeth?"<br/>
"Yes.", I said, walking up to the doctor with Joe.<br/>
“The patient was unconscious when they brought him in, and he lost a lot of blood. The bullet has hit important nerves. We were able to stabilize him, but I can't tell you whether he would be able to walk yet.”<br/>
"Thank you, doctor. "<br/>
I need some fresh air to think about this. I ran outside. When I stopped I felt Joe, standing behind me. We sat on a bench. The silence was broken by my friend.<br/>
"What are you going to do?", he asked, concerned.<br/>
“I plan to gather The Architects Of Pain tomorrow morning in the Great hall in my mansion.”, I tried to appear calm, but a volcano was erupting inside me.<br/>
"Ok. I'll tell Ricochet to tell everyone. I don't think anyone will be allowed to see Nick today. We should go. I can ask William to prepare something special for tonight, I'm sure you'll like it, " smug Joe smiled.<br/>
"I don't know... I'm not in the mood right now.” I tried to resist, but I couldn't.<br/>
"Exactly, it will help you relax a little.", Joe insisted.<br/>
"You have a point."</p><p>––– </p><p>“William callеd. Your place or mine? “<br/>
“Joe, you know that I love William's surprises to be waiting for me at yours?" - I said, a little annoyed that he asked me at all.<br/>
"I thought so, just wanted to make sure." </p><p>–––  </p><p>When we arrived at Joe's house, William was waiting for us.<br/>
"Good evening, gentlemen.” - a tall, burly man in a black suit greeted us. Around the age of 50, he managed to completely erase his old life and live as a completely different person. In spite of all my informants, I was unable to unearth his past.<br/>
"William," I said as we shook hands.<br/>
"Hi, William.", Joe greeted.<br/>
“Everything is ready for you, enjoy a pleasant evening. With your permission.”, William smirked. </p><p>–––  </p><p>When I went up to my room, there was a beautiful woman waiting for me. William always knew my taste. She was wearing a red nightgown that left a little to the imagination. She was bare underneath it. When she saw me, she smiled. Came up to me and tried to kiss me. At this point, I pushed her away from my face.<br/>
" I don't kiss, honey, I don't make love... It's just sex. Understand?"<br/>
She nodded and took off my leather jacket. My shirt followed suit. Then I took off her nightgown and attacked her breasts. I started to suck on one while my fingers played with her other nipple. She moaned. Hearing it  I started to harden. I stopped playing with her breasts to take off the rest of my clothes. The relief I felt when my cock sprung free was immediate. She grabbed it and started to pump it lightly.<br/>
"Babygirl, I think it’s time for your beautiful mouth to wrap around it."<br/>
With that she felt to her knees and lowered her head to my cock. Starting with kitten light licks around the head, then continuing towards the base. Pumping it with two hands as she licked and sucked on my balls. As I put my hands on her head she went for the foreskin, playing with it with her tongue. Dammit, she was good. She wrapped her lips on the head and hollowed her cheeks. Mmm, let's see if she can take it all. Tightening my hold, I pushed her so that her lips touched the base of my cook. I stayed like this until she started choking. I drew back and started a light pace, hearing her gag on the length.<br/>
"Ready to feel me inside you?"<br/>
Nodding her head she released my cock from her mouth. I grabbed her by the waist and threw her on the bed. She bounced on it. As I made my way on the bed she started playing with her breasts and pearl. Moaning. Showing me how wet and needy she was.<br/>
"Wanna finger yourself open for me or you want to feel the burn as my fat cock stretches your tight hole, babygirl?"<br/>
She smiled slightly and spread her lower lips apart. I didn't wait for another invitation and slammed myself in her with one thrust. She screamed in pleasure. I started fucking her deep and hard. Threw her legs over my shoulder and roughly continued ramming inside her. She started to shake.<br/>
"Fuuuuck", she whimpers "I’m about to cum."<br/>
"Do it baby girl, ladies first."<br/>
I grabbed her neck and squeezed. She came hard but I didn't stop. I rolled her to be on her stomach and continued searching for my release. A few more deep hard thrusts and I found it.<br/>
I pulled out and laid on the bed exhausted. A few minutes passed.<br/>
"You can take your clothes and leave."<br/>
She got out of bed, gathered her things and left.</p><p>–––  </p><p>"Where's The Hound?" I asked while sitting in my chair, which occupied the center of the table in the Great hall.<br/>
“He'll be here soon. He called and said he had found something. “,  said Roderick Strong, one of the best hitmen that I work with. He did his work quickly and clean.<br/>
"Why is he always late?", I raised my voice, quite annoyed with the late man.<br/>
After 15 minutes, Adam The Hound Cole finally graced us with his presence. I looked at him with an icy stare, but he didn't even flinch, just took his seat.<br/>
"Welcome, Mr. Cole. Can I offer you a drink?”<br/>
He didn't answer.<br/>
"If we're all here, we can start! As you may have heard, someone killed two of our people yesterday, and a third one is in the hospital at the moment. The same guy stole our delivery truck.”<br/>
I went to the table and put my hands on it.<br/>
“I want you to listen to me very carefully. You will find out who is this son of a bitch! I don't care how or by what means you do it! You will not sleep, nor eat or even breathe until you find him. Am I clear?”<br/>
"Yes, sir.", roared the men.<br/>
“Rollins", called Adam. “There's something you should know. While I was tracking Finn and his men, I found something. Dave Batista just met with one of Mr. Flair's people, if I'm not mistaken, CM Punk."<br/>
"I wonder what Balor is up to? Hound, you'll keep an eye on Dave. We must be on our guard. We've already lost enough. “</p><p>–––  </p><p>The phone rang. My hand touched the nightstand and searched until I found it. I looked, and the screen showed Adam's name.<br/>
“You won't believe who stole the goods.”, his smug voice came from the other side of the line.<br/>
“Spit it out Hound, you know I don't like these games”, my annoyance was evident in my voice. "I'm not in the mood to guess". I got out of bed and started dressing.<br/>
“Finn Balor… “<br/>
Just his name makes the hair on my body rise. If there's one person in this world I hate, it's him.  A Mama's boy who always got everything dropped on his lap.<br/>
"There's something else you should know...."<br/>
"No, not now Hound. Details later.”, I spit out and hung up.</p><p>–––  </p><p>I wandered around Balor's house like a madman. He was gone, as if he had evaporated, and my men were holding down his guns, but there was no sign of him. I went up the stairs and started opening the rooms one by one. When I reached the last of the rooms on the top floor, the sight took my breath away. Inside laid a naked woman on the bed with dried blood all over her body, her hands tied to the bedpost. She had a spark to herself that drew your eyes to her even while she was clearly unconscious... That son of a bitch beat her up, probably raped her as well.  The moment I saw her, something inside of me shuddered... something forgotten was awakening. This red-haired woman intrigued me and it's not just her resemblance to Her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The past will always find you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As soon as I laid my eyes on her, for the first time in many years, I felt compassion for a woman. I felt my body ache for every blow she had received. What had she done for her to be in this position? For whose sin was she atoning for? At that moment, reality struck me with all of its raw truth. Only the innocent suffer in this world, where predators like me rule, and she was just another victim. Looking at her like this, I remembered everything I'd been through... After I got rid of my dark past, I promised myself that I wouldn't let history repeat itself. I went and untied her hands. While stroking her face, I felt the need to take off my jacket and get her out of here as quickly as possible, but I couldn't... I was Seth Rollins, head of The Architects Of Pain, I had no pity for my enemies and for me women were just toys... I had to protect my reputation, I couldn't let anyone see me as weak. I moved away from her and shouted:  </p><p>“Ricochet... Ricochet, wherever you are, come over here now!”  a few seconds later, I heard footsteps approaching.   </p><p>“Yes, Mr. Rollins“  </p><p> “Bundle her with a blanket and take her directly to my mansion.” I ordered.  </p><p>“But... boss... “ before Ricochet finished his sentence, I interrupted him.  </p><p>“Are you challenging my decisions, Ricochet?” I intoned coldly.<br/>“No boss.” with these words, he dashed out to the redhead's side to do my bidding.  </p><p>Alone in the room, I looked around  for something that would tell me who she was and why she's in this Demon's house. I searched the room thoroughly. There was almost no furniture in it, just an old chest next to the bed. I opened it. There were only a few lace nightgowns and no other clothing. Apparently, Balor treated her like a sex toy. At the bottom of the chest was an album full of photos of flowers and, above all, violets . I took it with me, hoping to find out if the album was hers, and what secrets it might possess.   </p><p>––––   </p><p>When I returned to the mansion my Butler, AJ, was waiting for me at the door along with some guards.   </p><p>“Mr. Rollins, welcome back. Ricochet has just delivered the bundle…”</p><p>“In which room did you have him put it in?” I interrupted him.  </p><p>“Second floor, the room with a view of the courtyard”</p><p>“Good. I don't want anyone going up to the second floor until further notice. AJ, call Dr. Michaels, tell him it's urgent.”  </p><p>“All right, sir.”</p><p>I went inside towards my room. As soon as I was inside, I started rummaging through my closet.  </p><p>“What can I give her to wear?... Something that would fit her?” I threw blouses and trousers on the bed without any order, trying to find something suitable. In the end, I settled on a red t-shirt and a black sweatpants.<br/>“First aid kit…” I mumbled to myself  “I'm going crazy talking to myself.” Then I remembered that AJ kept it in the kitchen...   </p><p>I went into her room. She was still unconscious, but breathing. I could see her chest rising and falling slowly and rhythmically. Her face was pale and anemic. Some of her wounds were still bleeding, others had stopped. I walked slowly to the bed. All the feelings and memories I thought I had buried inside myself over the last 7 years were bubbling up. I know I couldn't fix the mistakes of the past, but at least I could help this woman. Maybe I'll feel better, too. Maybe this way I could atone for what I did. I put a bowl of water and a towel on the table next to the bed. I sat on the edge of it, gripped the towel and gently began to wipe off her face of all the blood and grime. There were traces of a bruise under her left eye. I moved to her neck and collarbones. Down her arms and hands that were littered with cuts. Some of them were almost healed, but others were still bleeding. I took the gauze and disinfected it. After a deep breath I grudgingly uncovered her to the waist. The first thing that I spotted was a huge bruise under her right breast, there were knife marks on her torso. Animal, I thought. The procedure was repeated almost all over her body, but as soon as I got to the middle of her thighs, I stopped. I didn't feel comfortable continuing up. Finn  had touched her enough without her permission, and I did just that.<br/>Through the whole process a voice at the back of my head kept whispering  “What will you do if she wakes up?”. So without wasting any more time, I picked up the clothes I had brought with me and started dressing her carefully. As soon as I finished I left the room. I headed to  my office, which was on the ground floor, when I saw a visibly tense Joe waiting for me by the stairs. I went to him:  </p><p>“What's going on?“  </p><p>“What's going on?... You ask me what's going on?” muttered Joe “Have you lost your mind?” he suddenly shouted “You decided to attack one of Balor's houses on your own and inside you found the stolen goods, OK. You didn't call me to even tell me that. I come here in search of you and AJ tells me you're upstairs but I can't go up. Like what the hell man, since when? Only, to top it all, for him to respond that you were treating someone. Not just anyone but one of HIS BITCHES here! And I have no idea what's going on! Were you even going to tell me - Joe, your friend and brother?“  <br/>“YES, I was going to tell you. I was heading to my office. Come. Let's speak there." I made a gesture for him to follow me. Thankfully he did.<br/>Once seated on the couch in my office I continued with my explanation.<br/>“I know you're angry with me. I have made  sure that the package was loaded on a new truck with double security and it's headed to the customer. Finn's people got what they deserved, we just need to find him as he wasn't inside the house when we got there.” I said coolly in an attempt to calm his rage. <br/>“And what about the woman? You haven't said anything about her. Who is she and why have you brought her here, to your home? You have to get rid of her right away. This isn't a game.” the anger in his eyes didn't subside, even though his tone was calm.  </p><p>“No, it is not. Do you know in what condition I found her?” now it's my turn to raise my voice. “She was his toy and might know something. Think logically! She was in that house and would have heard something about his doings and plans.“  </p><p>“That's what I'm doing. It just looked like you weren't. What would she know?” Joe rolled his eyes. “I understand what you're trying to do, but... this is crazy!?! You can't turn back time. Stop living in the past. It's pointless.” the conversation was heading in a direction that I didn't like.  </p><p>“If you won't help me, at least don't interfere!“  <br/>“You know that I will always be there for you, no matter what happens.” with that his eyes were back to normal and he gave me a smile. “But I don't approve of her staying here!“  </p><p>“Trust me, I know what I'm doing.” I patted him on the shoulder.    </p><p>––––   </p><p>At some point Dr. Michaels had arrived, while Joe and I were in my office. As we were reviewing some documents related to “The Shield corporation”,  someone knocked on the door. It was my Butler with Dr. Michaels.   </p><p>“Dr. Michaels. How is she?” I gestured to him to take a seat.  </p><p>“I'll be honest with you, Mr. Rollins. The patient has a broken right wrist, two bruised ribs, multiple abrasions and wounds all over her body, and was systematically raped. As for her mental health, I can't tell you anything.“  </p><p>With every word, my disgust for Finn Balor grew. How could he do this to an innocent man? I don't think she deserved it in any way. He really is a beast. But I will find him, wherever he is, and make him pay.   </p><p>“When would she awaken?” I asked in a normal, almost cold voice. No matter the storms raging inside myself, over the years I had learned to control my expression and body language.  </p><p>“In a few hours, she should regain consciousness,” he assured me, “if you need anything, don't hesitate to call for me.“  </p><p>“Thank you and I will, doctor.” I said.  </p><p>When we were once again alone, we fell back into our thoughts. The silence was broken by Joe:  </p><p>“I'll send one of my maids, you're going to need one here.” his voice was softer. </p><p>“Thank you, brother. Most likely, she will be scared and will look for female company. The last thing I want her to think is that I want to harm her.“  </p><p>“When I hear you saying that, I go back to the time when we were still dreamers and thought we could make the world a better place. The irony of it is that the world changed us.” Joe's words stuck right in my heart.   </p><p>“Some days I wish that I could still be that boy with big dreams, some of my innocence still left and for my conscience to not be a battlefield of hard decisions. So that when I look in the mirror I can face myself.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. “Fire in her eyes and ice in her words; she chooses what you get” – Matt Baker</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After I was alone in my office, I had plenty of time to think. Joe promised to be back as soon as possible, with a female aid that would be with Redhead when she woke up. He was right about one thing: bringing her to my home would be tantamount to a declaration of war. When Balor finds out I have his toy, he's going to be pissed off. I can just imagine the look in his eyes... his furious screeching. We never got along, to put it mildly. Our hatred for each other was mutual. We are not just competitors in the grey market, we have a completely different worldview. For him, people are puppets in his hands. He'd take advantage of people's weaknesses, play with their lives, and after a while he'd get tired of them. Words like honor and dignity do not exist in his dictionary. I can't say I'm a saint, I have committed sins, and  they are unforgivable. But I've never stabbed a friend in the back, I was never duplicitous, I've always openly stated what I thought. It made me a lot of enemies, but at least I was able to salvage some of my dignity and keep the loyalty of my people. I can't say the same about him. He's mean, two-faced, and likes to play dirty. These thoughts brought me back to reality. He will strike back, soon. I can't just sit and wait. I got up from my chair and went to the kitchen, where Ricochet usually had dinner with  AJ. When they saw me in the doorway,  both got up quickly, interrupting their conversation. <br/>“Boss.”<br/>“I want you to increase the security, you will not let a bird fly by without permission” my tone brooked no argument  “Especially regarding our guest, I want You to be very careful  and if something happens to her, I will hold you responsible Ricochet.” <br/>“As you command, boss” the fear in his voice was more than obvious.<br/>––– <br/>I've been staring at this door for more than 10 minutes already. Where the hell was Joe?  He should have been here by now! <br/>Taking a deep breath, I reached for the handle and slowly slipped  inside the bedroom. She was still asleep. Exactly as I have left her.  I went to her side and gently stroked her face. I haven't touched a woman like that in years,  as if she Is  a fragile flower. Usually, my intimate contact with a female involved sex and none of was gentle. But not in this case. “No, no, no…” I shook my head ... I have to stop thinking about it. She doesn't deserve to be a part of my dirty world - all guns, murder, sleepless nights, and smeared conscience. As soon as she gets better I'll take care of her financial situation and send her far away from here.  <br/>–––  <br/>While I was sitting  in a  chair at the other end of the room, she started to regain consciousness . Her eyes opened and she blinked several times, adjusting to the light. She stood up a little and started looking around the room, becoming more confused with every passing moment. I watched as she slowly and carefully brought a hand to her head , as if she was trying to remember if she had been here before. As soon as she noticed my presence, she trembled. I could read the fear in her eyes, and beyond it laid a fire that could have burned the entire world. I wondered what had kept that fire burning: her hope... or her anger at Finn and her fate at his hands. <br/>“Who are you?” she asked me boldly while her voice cracked in the middle of it. <br/>“Colby Lopez” - I tried to sound warm so as not to scare her. All these years, I've tried to make my voice sound cold and emotionless, not today, not at this moment…  <br/>“Where am I?”<br/>“In one of my houses.” I calmly stated . <br/>“What am I doing here and what do you want me to do?” she suddenly screamed. <br/>“I had you brought here so that you could heal.” <br/>“Is this a new game? Am I your new property now? Finn got tired and sold me to you?” <br/>For a moment I wondered how to answer her questions. Has she started to think of herself as a thing..? Finn sure has done a number on her psychic. If she was sold to him, it could be only Randy... a white slave trader, a friend of Finn's, one of the biggest scum I know. He and Finn are exactly the same - they use human life for their sick entertainment. <br/> While I pondered, she had lifted the covers and was almost sitting on the edge of the bed.  <br/>“You should not attempt to walk! The doctor gave orders for you to rest, preferably on the bed.“ <br/>“You had a doctor check me out?!?” she asked in perplexity.<br/>“Yes, he examined you...“ <br/>She stood up on shaking legs and took a few steps, pain written on her face. She tried to lean on the wall, but quickly lost her footing and fell to the ground.: <br/>“Damn…” she muttered while trying to stand up. <br/>“Careful there.” I got up from my chair and slowly approached  her. <br/>“Don't come near me!” she screamed.  <br/>“Take a deep breath…” I slowly inched over to her side and knelt down. “Let me help you back to the bed, you need to rest…” she looked into my eyes trying to read my intentions. When I reached out for her hand, she screamed, “Don't touch me!” I saw her curl away from me with pain twisting her face.  <br/>“We'll just go to the bed together, okay?”<br/>“And then you will fuck me like Finn did, that's all you want from me…” <br/>“That's not true! Look, I got you out of that place with no intentions to use you in a sexual way, believe me if I wanted sex I could it get without all this...” gesturing to the bed and her bandaged self  “I'm not going to hurt you.”<br/>She didn't say anything, just looked at me, trying to figure out if I was sincere. When I took hold of  her arm, she screamed... I took a deep breath, put her hand around my waist  and grabbed her around her hips, pulling her slowly back onto her feet. Trying not to touch or press on her ribs, we wobbled towards the bed.  <br/>“If you want me to stay put, you'll have to tie me up, or did Finn forget to tell you that?“ <br/>“Just lay on the bed.” <br/>“Or what...?”<br/>“You don't have to be so damn stubborn” I thought. The door opened at that moment and I was immediately relieved... Joe. Where have you been? Why did  it take so long for you to come back? I turned towards the door to ask him.  That's when I saw her... It can't be! Of all the women on Earth, he decided to bring her. As if he doesn't know our history.  Mercedes ... a ghost of my past life has been thrust  back  into my life. All these years I thought I wouldn't see her again. The aftermath of our last meeting had haunted me for years. The memories it seemed were just hiding in my mind, waiting for the right moment to flood me.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. "Flowers didn't ask to be flowers and I didn't ask to be me." - Kurt Vonnegut</h2></a>
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    <p>I stood speechless, looking at the woman in front of me... Mercedes. She's changed since I last saw her. And I'm not just talking about her hair, she changed her natural brown color to purple. She used to always have a smile on her face and her eyes  shining. Now her eyes were cold and sad. There wasn't a trace of the carefree and warm girl I remember. What happened on that night marked not only my life, but also hers.  <br/>“Who are you and what do you want?” Those aburt words brought me back to reality. I looked at the woman on the bed, who had curled into a ball.  <br/>“They are my friends.” I tried to reassure her. <br/>“I don't want them in here, I don't want anyone... leave. LEAVE ME ALONE!” she started screaming in her panic. At that moment, I heard a voice that I thought was long forgotten. <br/>“I'm Mercedes.” she smiled slightly, her words filled with tenderness and warmth  “I'm here to help you.” she slowly and carefully approached the bed.<br/>“I... I don't want... I don't want so many people in the room.” <br/>“Colby, Joe you should get out now.” and she looked at me with an icy stare. After what happened, she has every right to hate and behave like this towards me. I turned and with Joe in tow left the room. We both walked down the hall without saying a word. <br/>Downstairs in the living room, one of the maids at Joe's house was waiting for me, along with AJ. <br/>“Seth, this is Emily, she's worked for me for many years, she's done her job perfectly and you can entrust your guest to her.” <br/>“Nice to meet you, Mr. Rollins.” She was a woman of about 40 years of age, with a pleasant disposition, slightly rounded figure.  <br/>“Welcome Emily. I hope we get along well. Your main job will be to look after my guest, help her, and do her bidding. If you have any questions, please address AJ with them… Lastly, your room is on the second floor right next to hers.” <br/>“As you order, Mr. Rollins” her smile was affable and touching. <br/>“Joe, my office. Now!” I raised my voice after I saw him start discussing something with one of the guards “  <br/>–––  <br/>“I think your reaction was excessive.” the calmness in Joe's voice startled me. “We both know this was the best decision. Mercedes is a psychologist, she knows how to communicate with people who have experienced trauma. In addition, she is a good professional and, above all, a good person!“ <br/>“My reaction was excessive?!” At this moment, I couldn't control myself, the presence of Mercedes in my house was driving me out of my skin, I felt like my head was going to explode. “You brought a woman who would drown me in a drop of water if she could. How do you expect me to be calm?! Are you serious? Do you realize that even her presence hurts me?” <br/>“The past must remain in the past, you cannot change it. It's time for you to accept that it wasn't your fault.” deep down I still felt guilty for what happened, as if I was the cause of the incident. Joe never could convince me otherwise.  <br/>“Tell that to her and her family, the woman who is in the grave, along with the child who was in her womb... from that day on, Mercedes looked at me with different eyes.” Before I could finish my sentence, someone knocked on the door. Trevor came in, clearly concerned. <br/>“Boss, we have a big problem.”<br/>“Another one?! Why doesn't that surprise me?” I said ironically “What's the matter?” <br/>“Mr. Flair called. For the next delivery, he wants us to work with Mr. Balor. Otherwise he will dissolve the contract.” I felt my blood boil with every single word uttered. How did that son of a bitch get on the good side of Mr. Rick Flair? “You're dismissed, Trevor.”<br/>Joe and I looked at each other worriedly. Suddenly the whole argument about Mercedes was miniscule. The past can wait, now the important question is how to get out of this situation!  <br/>“I will not work with Balor!” that was the only thing I could say at that moment.<br/>--- <br/>“May I?” Mercedes head poked out after knocking on the door and opening it.  <br/>“How is she?” I asked eagerly. <br/>“I couldn't talk to her at length, but I was able to convince her that you didn't wish her harm. At least, I hope so.”  <br/>“Thank you.”  <br/>“Don't thank me, I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing it for her. If you'll let me, I'd like to come here every day for séances.”<br/>“Of course. If you think this is the best course of action, I want what's best for Redhead.” my voice was unusually kind and caring, and there was no Seth Rollins persona. Every time it came to her, spoke Colby, a guy full of dreams and hopes from the suburbs of New York. <br/>“Her name is Becky, Rebecca Quin.” unconsciously a smile appeared on my face “I only have one condition, Colby, I don't want to see you when I come here. Can you stay in your office for the duration of the séance?” <br/>“You have my word.” The truth was that my desire was the same as hers. <br/>“You can go and try to talk to her. Just... don't push her too hard. Let her decide whether and how much to trust you…”<br/>“One of my drivers will take you home. He will be your designated guard to collect and return you every day. I'll be calmer this way.” <br/>“Colby…” <br/>“Don't forget you've seen what happens if we're not careful.” her face darkened as she remembered it. “Damn it! I shouldn't have brought that up.” I thought. <br/>“You're right.” she closed her eyes, I know she was fighting back her tears. I can barely keep my composure either. This is something that will always stab my heart like a dagger. I didn't dare say anything else.  <br/>“I...I want to congratulate you, you did the right thing.” I definitely didn't expect this.<br/>“I.... Thank You, Mercedes.”  <br/>–––  <br/>After Joe left to meet one of his informants, I went to the kitchen. AJ and Emily were going over their shared tasks. I've wanted to hire someone to help with the housework for some time now. <br/>“Emily, come with me. I'll introduce you to your charge.” <br/>“Yes, sir.” she got up and we both went to the second floor.  <br/>“I want you to be very careful, Rebecca has been through a lot, make sure she has everything.” <br/>“Of course.” she smiled, radiating kindness. I'm not surprised that Joe chose to send her. We reached Rebecca's room. I opened the door after the affirmative. This time I didn't hesitate, I couldn't let anyone else see me as weak, and the woman inside the room was my newfound weakness. When we came in and I didn't see her on the bed, I was scared at first. Then I saw the opened terrace door and her sitting on one of the chairs. She had her eyes closed, I think she liked the breeze. She seemed calmer.  <br/>“Rebecca…” I said quietly. She opened her eyes and looked at me. <br/>“Hi…” she looked at me thoughtfully, as if she was trying to remember my name.  <br/>“Colby.” I said.<br/>“Yes... Colby. What happened? Why have you come here?” she stood up slowly, leaning on the railing. I went towards her. <br/>“I want you to meet someone. This is Emily, and from now on, she will take care of you and help you.”<br/>“Nice to meet you, Rebecca.” greeted the older woman.  <br/>“Nice to meet too.” her gaze shifted to me. “This isn’t necessary.”<br/>“ I am not at home most of the time. She is here so that there will be someone to keep you company and help you while you recover.” I smiled reassuringly. “I'll leave you to talk and get to know each other. I'll see you for dinner.” the young woman nodded, and I walked out of the room. <br/>––––  <br/>It was almost dinnertime when women's screams began to echo in the house. “Becky…” I thought and got up from the chair in my office. I climbed the stairs two at a time and ran towards her room. I saw the two women at the door. <br/>“I don't want to go down!” <br/>“Nothing bad will happen, we'll just have dinner.” Emily was speaking softly trying to calm her down.  <br/>I went up to them: <br/>“What's going on here?” <br/>“Miss Quin doesn't want to leave her room.” <br/>“Why?” I looked at the redheaded woman.<br/>“I don't want to, that's all.” tears were already overflowing in her eyes, and I could read the fear in them. I think she's afraid to go outside the room. <br/>“Alright... How about we dine on your balcony till you feel ready to go outside your room, okay?” <br/>She breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. <br/>“Excellent.”<br/>–––  <br/>We didn't talk while eating the main course. She was quite tense, her eyes constantly looking around, as if looking for someone or something. We were almost through the dessert when I decided to break the silence between us. <br/>“You're looking for something..?” <br/>“Mmm, well... I was wondering if there was a garden with flowers or a flower patch on the land surrounding the house” when she mentioned flowers, little sparks shone in her eyes.  <br/>“No, there have been no flowers on this piece of land for many years.” I saw her face turn blue. “...but my company has a lot of flower greenhouses. When your doctor says you have recovered, we could go and visit them.” Unconsciously my lips spread to a smile. <br/>“I'd love to.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first fic and I hope you will enjoy it. Please tell me what do you think about the chapter in the commets bellow.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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